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Copperhead

Topic Overview

The
copperhead is a poisonous (venomous) pit viper found
in central and eastern North America. Copperheads may leave distinctive double
marks on the skin. They leave one, two, or three puncture marks on the skin,
but you won't always see any marks.

A copperhead has:

Hourglass-shaped markings down the
back.

Pitlike depressions behind the nostril.

A
triangular head with slit-shaped pupils and fangs.

A single row of
plates or scales on the undersurface of the snake, including the tail.

A copperhead does not have rattles but may shake its tail in
warning. The snakes can be as long as
4 ft (1.2 m).

Symptoms of a bite from a copperhead usually appear from minutes to hours
after the bite and include:

Severe, immediate pain with rapid
swelling.

Bruising of the skin.

Trouble
breathing.

Changes in heart rate or rhythm.

A metallic,
rubbery, or minty taste in the mouth.

Numbness or tingling around
the mouth, tongue, scalp, feet, or the bite area.

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